SOPA: An open letter to the FCO

I want to take this opportunity to publish a letter I have sent to the Foreign and Common Affairs Office protesting the SOPA bill. As you will know by now the SOPA bill threatens the very foundations on which the internet is built. Though the world made some progress yesterday there is a long way to go. The bill is still under debate and a vote on the 24th of January could see a watered down version forced through.I’ve written to the FCO to ask them to pressure the US against passing such a bill. If you feel a similar way please feel free to send the same message to fcocorrespondence@fco.gov.uk.

To Whom It May Concern.

I’m writing to you to ask you to support the movement against SOPA, the Stop Online Piracy Act. As I’m sure you are aware in the U.S. a dangerous bill is being debated which will threaten the integrity of a free and open internet. Yesterday the world, and the U.K., made their feelings on the matter very clear.

More than 162 million saw the Wikipedia blackout page.

More than eight million looked up their elected representatives’ contact information.

Anti-SOPA and PIPA topics began trending globally on Twitter immediately after the blackout began. Hashtags included #factswithoutwikipedia, #SOPAstrike, and #wikipediablackout.

At one point, anti-SOPA tweets constituted 1% of all tweets, and SOPA accounted for a quarter-million tweets hourly during the blackout.

A quick search of “SOPA blackout” on Google News produced more than 8,000 links as of this writing.

Along with Wikipedia sites across the internet went dark in protest of the bill and to highlight its possible effects.

Progress was made yesterday as some senators pulled support for the bill.

However, it is very likely that the bill will be watered down and some of the controversial elements removed, without altering the fundamental message.

I urge you, please support a free internet and as well as a constructive way to combat piracy. With every opportunity please let the U.S. know that the effects of this bill will be felt across the globe and that the world’s people uniformly do not support this bill.